Upgrading QB Desktop Pro Payroll 2021 to 2022

Your confusion ends here, @DesktopPayroll2021.

Allow me to provide information about upgrading QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Payroll from 2021 to 2022.

When upgrading QBDT to a newer version, you have the option to keep the old one on your computer. This option allows accessing your current version (2021) without replacing it with the new one (2022). For more guidance, feel free to check out this article: Upgrade QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, or Enterprise.

On the other hand, all the data from your 2021 version will be transferred into the 2022 version. This also includes the custom settings.

You might also want to read this article to know more about the new available features in QBDT 2022: What’s new in QuickBooks Desktop 2022.

Please keep in touch if there's anything else I can do to help you succeed with QuickBooks. I've got your back.

Thank you @Mark_R for the installation answers.

We have the yearly subscription to QB Desktop with Payroll 2021.

Does upgrading to QB 2022 changes the subscription cost?

If I understand correctly, upgrading and replacing QB 2021 with QB 2022 will automatically transfer our company data into QB 2022.

Instead, assuming we keep both versions, QB 2021 and QB 2022. Is our payroll information (employees, and vendors) and settings transferred to the 2022? Basically, how is data going to be shared or synched between both applications QB 2021 and QB 2022 ?  

Thank you for getting back, @DesktopPayroll2021. Allow me to share with you some additional information about upgrading QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) into a newer version.

To answer your first question, yes, upgrading to QBDT 2022 changes the subscription cost. The amount varies on how much is the price for the plan. You can click on the Buy now button from this link to learn more about its price: Select the right product for you.

On the other hand, you can create a backup copy of your QBDT 2021 file, then transfer it to QBDT 2022. Please keep in mind that the file from QBDT 2022 can't be restored into the lower versions.

Here's how to back up your file:

1. In QuickBooks, go to the File menu and select Switch to Single-user Mode.
2. Go to the File menu again and hover over Back up Company. Then select Create Local Backup.
3. In the window, select Local Backup and then Next.
4. In the Local Backup Only section, select Browse and select where you want to save your backup company file. You may set the number of backups you want to keep.
5. This runs a test to make sure your backup file is in good shape before you save it.
6. When you're ready, select OK.
7. Tap Save it now and Next.

The system won't automatically create a backup of your payroll forms, you can check out the steps from this link under Back up your payroll forms as your reference: Back up your QuickBooks Desktop company file.

After that, restore the file to QBDT 2022.

I'm also adding this link to learn more about upgrading your QBDT file: Upgrade your company files after you switch to a new version of QuickBooks Desktop.

If you have any other follow-up questions, let me know by adding a comment below. I'm more than happy to help. Keep safe!

What happened to the following in QBDT 2022?:

File/Utilities/Import/Import Timer Activities

File/Utilities/Export/Export Timer Lists

When I upgraded to QBDT Pro Plus 2022 (October 15, 2021), it was there for my last payroll and billing cycle (October 18, 2021) but has since loaded updates that removed these options.

Please put it back!  I rely on Quickbooks Pro Timer for all my employees timesheets and for billing all my customers/clients.

Your experts could only tell me to revert back to QBDT Pro Plus 2021, but that is not an option since I already paid employees and filed withholding taxes in 2022.  It cannot go back to an older version and it creates numerous issues with payroll and taxes.

This is an easy fix on Intuit's part: PUT IT BACK, PLEASE!

What happened to the following in QBDT 2022?:

File/Utilities/Import/Import Timer Activities

File/Utilities/Export/Export Timer Lists

When I upgraded to QBDT Pro Plus 2022 (October 15, 2021), it was there for my last payroll and billing cycle (October 18, 2021) but has since loaded updates that removed these options.

Please put it back!  I rely on Quickbooks Pro Timer for all my employees timesheets and for billing all my customers/clients.

Your experts could only tell me to revert back to QBDT Pro Plus 2021, but that is not an option since I already paid employees and filed withholding taxes in 2022.  It cannot go back to an older version and it creates numerous issues with payroll and taxes.

This is an easy fix on Intuit's part: PUT IT BACK, PLEASE!

Hi @Blaes,

Let me provide information about the Timer Activity feature in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

I've checked our resources and found out that exporting and importing time activities are not included in the discontinued features in QBDT 2022. You can read this article for more information: Features discontinued in QuickBooks Desktop 2022 and Enterprise 22.

Since the options were removed after you upgraded your QBDT, I recommend contacting our QuickBooks Support Team again. I understand that you already contacted them before, but they're the best support group that can investigate this issue further. They can also provide some troubleshooting steps to get back the option.

You might want to create a single or weekly timesheet within your QBDT company file. You can read this article for the detailed steps and information: Create and print timesheets.

Please let me know if you need clarification about this, or there's anything else I can do for you. I'll be standing by for your response. 

@Blaes 

They dropped the feature on QBD 2022 and persuade users to use QB Time. Another option, you can import the data manually by a 3rd party tool (with a one time license) or use a 3rd party time tracking app to integrate with your QBD 2022.

Can you recommend a third party tool and a third party time tracking app?

Hi there, Blaes.

I appreciate you for coming back to the thread to ask a further concern. With this, I'll ensure to share some details about third-party integration. Then, route you to the correct site to ensure you're able to see what you need.

We're unable to suggest a specific third-party tool and time tracking app to use. This is because each app has different functions and benefits. However, there are some applications you can integrate with QuickBooks Dekstop that help you import the data manually by using another tool or time tracking app. 

I suggest visiting our MarketPlace website. You can scan through the site to get a better comparison of the available apps to achieve your goal.

Lastly, you may refer to this article to view various details on what are several features that help automate and streamline your daily accounting tasks using QBDT 2022: What’s new in QuickBooks Desktop 2022.

You can get back to me anytime if you have further questions about handling your payroll transactions. I'm still around to help you.

I get it, I wouldn't advertise for my competition either.  I just want to be able to continue using software for time tracking in the simplest way possible.  Some of us are old school and distrust online apps and internet connections when sharing personal data.  Don't bother with the lecture regarding safety of personal data with Intuit, some of us will never change and cannot be convinced.  The only reason I see that Importing and Exporting time data (via Intuit's Quickbooks ProTimer that I have been using since 1995) is Intuit's greed for more subscription services.  There's no money to be made from Quickbooks ProTimer, it was free from the start.  I have employees that have over 15 years with my firm and now I am expected to teach them more new software?  The learning curve for your Time app is expensive and the price is not cheap.  I need very little of the bells and whistles included in Time and do not intend to subscribe to it.  I am not happy that ProTimer was removed from QBDT2022 and I hope this message gets to someone that can change that and actually cares about their customers that have been on board for over 25 years.

@Blaes @Anonymous 

Prepare your Time Tracking data with the following template

then utilize one of these importer tools

https://transactionpro.grsm.io/qbd

https://partners.saasant.com/affiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=5051_2

Otherwise, explore this time tracking app to integrate with your QBD file.

http://hubstaff.com?oid=1&affid=94

In the end, I spent about 3 hours manually entering data (cut and paste) from Quickbooks Pro Timer files completed by my employees.  That was after investigating all the options discussed in this thread (probably at least another 6 hours).  Quickbooks is promoted as software that will streamline business accounting and it has worked very well for me for the past 25 years.  My employees and I have developed some very good habits with Pro Timer, entering time and detailing the work complete in Notes that were easily incorporated into the invoices to our clients.  Payroll was simple as well using Pro Timer.  You have crippled my firm by taking the ability to import time activities and export timer lists.  Currently we are swamped with work, desperately searching for new employees, and have no time for major changes to our system.  In the midst of a pandemic, Quickbooks chose to take away productive tools from this customer.  A customer of 25 years that never had a problem with new upgrades.  The solution is simple: release an update that reinstates two simple command routines that were a part of the software for at least 25 years.  PLEASE!

It is not the kind of experience I would like you to have, @Blaes.

I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. Currently, an update to reinstate the two-command that you were using previously is not available.

Thus, I recommend you send feedback. This way, our Developer team can look into it and check if they can release this feature.

Follow these:

1. Press the Gear icon in the upper right and choose Feedback under profile.
2. It will open a window where you can enter your product suggestions.
3. From there, input how you want the program to work.
4. Click Next to submit it. 

Click on this link in the future to check for the feedback submitted. The more votes it will have, the better.

You may also check on this article for more information about the QuickBooks Desktop 2022: What’s new in QuickBooks Desktop 2022.

You can leave a comment below to let me know if you have additional questions about the new update. I am here to help.

Hello Blaes,

We actually have come up a workaround for this. When we tried importing IIF it gave us a message that it is unable to import but we clicked the open folder and checked all the errors. We observed that we need to set up a particular payroll item that was said on the report so that is what we did. We tried importing again, and it was successful.

Good evening, @joanna123. 

Thanks for chiming in on this thread. I hope your day is going well so far. 

I'm so glad you were able to find a fix. 

We're always here to lend a helping hand. I'm only a post away if you need me. Have a great day!

This is NOT a fix!  This is extra work for the user, completely unnecessary, and not an easy task.  Please forward this string to the Developer team if you want to be helpful.  Users should not have to "fix" something that was never broken (except when the Developer team breaks it intentionally).

I chatted with your support when my 2022 premier upgrade would not download.  They told me to backup everything and then unistall 2021 and then retry the download of 2022.  It didn't work.  Now I have no QB's on my computer.  How do I get 2022 to download from intuit. It does NOT work.  Help please.

Hi Mountainhorse,

I would recommend contacting our Chat Support or Phone Team again since they have more tools to check this further. You've already done the things that we can ask you to from here.

If you have other concerns, feel free to go back to this thread. Have a good one!

Don't bother.  Stick with 2021.  There's nothing in 2022 that's worth the upgrade.

Sending feedback everyday on this issue...no response.  thanks for the apology, but it doesn't help my situation.  What is the link you are referring to in "Click on this link in the future to check for the feedback submitted. The more votes it will have, the better."?

Hello again, @Blaes.

Allow me to join the thread and clarify things out. 

The information provided by my colleague @Ethel_A is for QuickBooks Online (QBO). 

To send feedback in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), Here's how:

1. Go to the Help menu at the top.
2. Select Send Feedback Online.
3. Click Product Suggestion.
4. Choose a feedback type and product area on the QuickBooks Feedback window. 
5. Enter your suggestion or feedback, name, and email address (optional).
6. Once done, click on the Send Feedback button.

Our developers periodically update and release new features. They might change how this works in the future. To be updated with our latest news and updates, including product improvements, I encourage you to visit the What's New section on your QBDT account or open this link to view our product update blogs.

Please know that I'm only a post away should you have any questions. Have a great day.